Extensible ventilating air duct section



March 1967 w. J. WAELDNER .ETAL 3,

EXTENSIBLE VENTILATING AIR DUCT SECTION Filed Sept. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-$heet 1 INVEN'IOR. Mum/w J Man/v50 6m 14. Pzmawsr March 14, 1967- w. J. WAELDNER ETAL 3,308,743

EXTENSIBLE VENTILATING AIR DUCT SECTION Filed Sept. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1967 w. J. WAELDNER ETAL 3,308,743

EXTENSIBLE VENTILATING AIR DUCT SECTION Filed Sept. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 14,1967

w. J. WAELDNER ETAL 3,308,743

EXTENSIBLE VENTILATING AIR DUCT SECTION Filed Sept. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States 1 3,308,743 EXTENSIBLE VF. TILATING AIR DUCT SECTION William J. Waeldner, Waverly, and Carl W. Palmquist,

Clarks Summit, Pa., assignors to Dynamics Corporation of America, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 395,451 12 Claims. (Cl. 9840) This invention relates to ducts for conveying air to a space to be ventilated and deals more specifically with an extensible duct section particularly well suited to use Patent C in a ceiling having a plurality of spaced bulkheads depending therefrom.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a duct section which can be readily installed in a ceiling having spaced bulkheads, which duct section also sup ports air diffusing means so that installation of both units in such a ceiling is greatly facilitated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a duct section adapted to support air diffusing means, which duct section requires no external hangers or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a duct section adapted to support air diffusing means together with a hung ceiling.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of extensible sleeve means at either end of the duct diffuser combination, which sleeve means are manually operable externally of the duct section for installing the duct and its associated diffusing means in a ceiling having a plurality of spaced bulkheads depending therefrom.

The drawings show preferred embodiments of the invention and such embodiments will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the constructions disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limitin the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a pair of duct sections of the present invention as installed in a ceiling having spaced bulkheads;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 installation;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one of the duct sections of FIG. 1 taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and drawn to a somewhat larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing the air diffuser unit in partially disassembled relation;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a right-hand end portion of the FIG. 3 duct section showing a sleeve means of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the FIG. 3 duct section;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the FIG. 7 duct section;

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows a second alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is an end view of a light fixture supporting hanger useable with the duct section shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 3 and showing a gasket assembly for sealing the end portions of the duct section.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 in greater detail, two hollow elongated tubular members or duct sections 10, 10 of the present invention are arranged longitudinally in ceiling cavities or bays 12, 12 defined by spaced parallel longitudinal beams 14, 14 which may be cast integrally means Patented Mar. 14, 1967 in the ceiling 16. As best shown in FIG. 2, each bay 12 is further defined by transversely extending bulkheads 18, 18 to which the duct section is attached in a manner to be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, cylindrical sleeve means 20, 20 are provided at the ends of the duct section 10 and each of said sleeve means 20 is adapted to extend axially outwardly from the associated end of the section to enter a cylindrical opening 22 defined in a bulkhead 18. Each sleeve means 20 is manually operable from beneath the duct section 10 by pivotal movement of an actuating arm 24. An opening 26 is defined in and extends along the lower side of the duct 10 and provides for access of a tool 66 which can be engaged with the arm for manual operation of the said sleeve means.

FIG. 4 shows means defining an air outlet in a crosssectional view and also illustrates the construction of the duct section 10. The duct is annular in cross section and comprises an inner liner 28 which is of glass fiber construction, well suited to the transport of air with a minimum of heat gain or loss and with a minimum of air noise. The liner 28 is protected and strengthened in bending by an outer shield 30 of sheet metal or the like. The duct section 10 may also comprise a perforated shield in place of the shield 30 in which case a thin vinyl jacket might be used between the liner 28 and such a shield to reduce the porosity of the resulting duct.

The means defining said air discharge outlet comprises two oppositely arranged similar angle members 32 and 34 which are mounted in the opening 26 in the tubular duct 10. Cross members 36, 36 are connected to these members at spaced locations along the duct and support a T-shaped member 38 in aligned slots 40, 40. Preferably and as shown, the member 38 is supported by spring clips 41, 41 and is removable to permit the aforementioned tool 66 to be inserted through the opening 26 and between the members 32 and 34 to engage the actuating arm 24. An upper assembly, indicated generally at 43, is attached to the upper ends of the angle members 32 and 34 by rivets 42, 42 and carries a plurality of deflector vanes 44, 44 which assist in turning horizontally flowing air in the duct 10 downwardly for passage through the air discharge outlet. Arranged lengthwise within the opening 26 and between the members 32, 34 are two elongated pivotable valve members 46, 46 which are releasably held in the positions shown by springs 47, 47. As so constructed, the valve members can be manually adjusted from below the duct to control the flow of air through the air discharge outlet. It will be apparent that on opening the valve members 46, 46 and removing the -shaped member 38, the aforementioned arm 24 is readily accessible from below the duct 18.

It should be noted that the above described combination duct-diffuser arrangement can also be used as a means for exhausting air from a room or other enclosure. Thus, the term means defining an air discharge outlet used herein and in the appended claims is intended to include this mode of operation as well as the air diffusing mode.

Turning now to FIG. 5, the aforesaid sleeve means comprises a telescopically arranged sleeve 21. The outside diameter of the sleeve is such that it can be retracted inside the annular duct and means are provided as aforesaid for moving the sleeve member between said retracted position and the extended position illustrated in FIG. 5. The aforementioned actuating arm 24 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an appropriate bracket 25 in the interior of the duct liner 28. A first link 48 is connected to the arm 24 and to a span member 50. The span member 50 is afiixed at either end to the sleeve 21 whereby movement of the actuating arm 24 moves the sleeve between said retracted and extended positions.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the top of the duct section is spaced downwardly from the lower surface of the ceiling 16 providing an ideal location for mounting elongated fluorescent lamps or tubes such as indicated generally at 15. Thus, an indirect lighting effect is readily achieved with the duct-diffuser arrangement of the present invention. The light fixtures can be mounted above the duct by any convenient means but preferably they are attached to the duct to assure that they are properly aligned therewith at least horizontally to provide a symmetrical indirect lighting effect with respect to the longitudinal center line of the duct. FIG. 10 shows one possible construction wherein a .seam 31 of the sheet metal duct shield 30 is utilized to align the lighting fixture with the duct 10. A strap hanger 17 is used to support a T-shaped member 19 which has oppositely arranged lower horizontal shelf portions for supporting the adjacent ends of two longitudinally aligned light fixtures arranged in end-to-end relationship above the duct as best shown in FIG. 3.

Alternatively, the hangers 17, 17 may be omitted and the T-shaped members supported wholly by the duct sections for in turn supporting the light fixtures.

Turning now to the alternative sleeve construction of FIGS. 7 and 8, similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals to which the letter a has been added. A telescopically arranged sleeve member 21a is shown extended and can be retracted by the arm 24a in the same manner as described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 5. A first link 48a is connected at one end to the pivotable arm 24a and at its other end to a valve assembly 52. The valve assembly comprises a fixed hub 54 to which the link 48a is attached and a series of movable vanes 56, 56 emanating from the hub and extending radially outwardly towards the inside of said sleeve member 21a. A frame member 58 is fixed in the sleeve member 21a and supports the hub 54 centrally thereof. Each vane 56 is supported for rotation about a radial axis defined in part by said hub 54 and in part by the periphery of said frame member 58. An actuating rod 60 is rotatably supported on the link 48a and is geared or otherwise connected to the inner ends of the vanes 56, 56 to rotate the same between open positions where they are aligned with the axis of thetubular duct and closed positions where the vanes are at right angles to the duct axis. As so constructed, the valve assembly permits the air flow in the duct to be regulated from below the duct by reason of the ready accessibility of rod 60. As mentioned above, the elongated valve members 46, 46 can be opened and the T-shaped member 38 removed to gain access to arm 24. It will be apparent that the rod 60 can be similarly operated once these preliminary steps have been completed.

FIG. 9 shows still another alternative embodiment of the self supporting duct-diffuser unit described hereinabove. As noted, a duct section of the present invention can be used to advantage where no false or hung ceiling structure is to be employed. It does not follow, however, that a duct section of the present invention need be so limited.

In FIG. 9, similar parts are designated by similar reference numerals to which the letter b has been added. A hollow elongated tubular member or duct 19b is arranged in a ceiling cavity or bay generally similar to that described previously with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. Sleeve means (not shown) are telescopically provided at either end of the duct 10b in the same manner as described above with reference to FIG. 5. An air dis charge outlet is defined by two oppositely arranged channel shaped members 32!; and 34b, which are mounted in an opening 26b along the lower portion of the duct 1%. Cross members 36b, 36b are connected to the channel shaped members 32b and 34b at spaced locations along the duct 18b to support a T-shaped member 38b in aligned slots 40b, 4%. Thus, the FIG. 9 construction is substantially identical with the FIG. 4 construction but it will be observed that the members 32b, 3412 extend substantially below the duct section 1% as contrasted with the substantially flush condition of the members 32, 34 and the lower surface of the duct section 10. The said extension of the members 32b, 34b provides ample vertical space for the provision of flanges 6t), 62 and for ceiling portions 64, 64 supported atop the said flanges.

FIG. 11 shows in some detail the relationship between the cylindrical opening 22 in the bulkhead I8 and the telescoping sleeve 21. Preferably and as shown, the cylindrical opening is fitted with a stationary metal sleeve 68 having an outer diameter corresponding to the approximate inner diameter of the opening 22. The sleeve 68 extends the full axial length of the bulkhead opening as best shown in FIG. 3 to provide a uniform cylindrical bore for receiving the telescoping sleeves 21, 21. It will be apparent that the inner diameter of the stationary sleeves 68, 68, and the general shape of their internal bore defining surfaces, can be made to much closer tolerances than the openings defiined in the bulkheads 18, 18.

In order to seal the telescoping ends of the duct section in these openings 22, 22, a gasket assembly 70 is provided in each stationary sleeve 68 as shown in FIG. 3. The gasket assembly 7% comprises an annular band 72 of polyurethane plastic or other suitable gasket material. The band 72 is of relatively short axial extent to permit the telescoping sleeves 21, 21 to be receive-d in the stationary sleeve 68. A metal retainer 74, of the same axial dimension as the band 72, serves to support the band as best shown in FIG. 11. The band 72 is preferably made from an initially flat strip, the ends of which are bent radially inwardly as shown at 76 to provide a relatively rigid annular retainer for the plastic band 72.

Preferably, and as shown in FIG. 11, the radial thickness of the plastic band 72 and the diameter of the gasket assembly 7% are so related to'the diameter of the telescoping sleeve 21 that the end of the latter will be effectively sealed when its lower edge rests upon the internal bore defining surface of the stationary sleeve 68. The diameter of the sleeve 21 is preferably made somewhat less than that of the sleeve 63 as shown in FIG. 11 to facilitate installation of the duct section between the spaced bulkheads shown in FIG. 1. As so constructed, considerable time saving can be realized in installing duct sections of the present invention.

Finally, it should be noted that a series of these duct sections can be connected to one another to form a run or branch of a ventilating system which run can be balanced by adjusting a valve assembly such as that shown at 52 at the upstream end of the run. The downstream end could be capped off by providing an appropriately designed telescoping cap member (not shown) in place of the sleeve 21 in the last duct section.

The invention claimed is:

1. An extensible duct section for use in conjunction with a ceiling having spaced depending bulkheads at least one of which has an opening therein, said duct comprising a hollow member which defines an air passageway and which is long enough to at least approximately span the space between adjacent bulkheads, a sleeve telescopically carried in at least one end of said hollow member and adapted to be received in said bulkhead opening for supporting the adjacent end portion of said hollow member, means for supporting the opposite end portion of said hollow member adjacent another bulkhead, and means accessible through a side opening in said member and operable to move said sleeve means between extended and retracted positions, said last-mentioned means comprising an actuating arm pivotally supported in the interior of said member and having a free end located adjacent said side opening, said last-mentioned means further including linkage for moving said sleeve in response to movement of said arm whereby said sleeve can be telescopically extended out of the open end of said hollow member into said bulkhead opening.

2. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 1 wherein said linkage comprises a first link connected at one end to said actuating arm intermediate the ends of the latter, and a span member connecting opposite sides of said sleeve and connected to the other end of said first link whereby movement of said actuating arm causes said sleeve to telescope into and out of said hollow member.

3. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 2 and further characterized by at least one tubular illuminating lamp disposed between each of said duct section and said ceiling, which lamp is attached to said duct section and horizontally aligned there-With to provide a symmetrical indirect lighting effect.

4. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 1 and further characterized by outlet defining means in said duct side opening, said means including a pair of flanges projecting laterally outwardly on opposite sides of said outlet and in downwardly spaced relation to said duct opening for supporting a false ceiling.

5. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 1 and further characterized by a valve assembly in said sleeve for regulating the flow of air in said air passageway.

6. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 5 wherein said valve assembly includes actuating means accessi le through said side opening in said hollow mem ber and operable to open or to close said valve assembly.

7. An extensible duct section for use in conjunction with a ceiling having spaced depending bulkheads with generally aligned openings therein, said duct section comprising an elongated hollow member adapted to span the space between adjacent bulkheads, said member defining an elongated bottom opening extending along substantially the entire length thereof, means defining an elongated air discharge outlet in said opening, said means comprising two oppositely arranged similar angle members mounted in the bottom opening in laterally spaced relationship, and said air discharge means further comprising an air dilfusing member centered between said angle members, sleeve means telescopically carried in each of said bulkhead openings to support said hollow member, means for manua ly opera-ting each of said sleeve means, said operating means being accessible through said bottom opening and through the outlet defined by said oppositely arranged angle members, said air diffusing member being releasably retained in a position centered between said angle members so as to be readily removable during installation of the duct section in such a ceiling.

8. An extensible duct section for use in conjunction with a ceiling having spaced depending bulkheads with generally aligned openings therein, said duct section comprising an elongated hollow member to span the space between adjacent bulkheads, said member defining an elongated side opening extending along said substantially the entire length thereof, means defining an elongated air discharge outlet in said opening, sleeve means telescopically carried at each end of said hollow member and adapted to be received in said bulkhead openings to support said hollow member, means for manually operating each of said sleeve means, each of said operating means being accessible through said side opening and through the outlet defined by said air discharge means, and at least one tubular illuminating lamp disposed between said duct section and said ceiling, which lamp is aligned with said duct section to provide a symmetrical indirect light effect.

9. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 8 wherein said side opening extends along the bottom side of said hollow member and said lamp is arranged on the top or opposite side thereof.

10. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 9 and further characterized by means for mounting said lamp on said duct section to assure that said lamp is properly aligned with said hollow member.

11. An extensible duct section for use in conjunction with a ceiling having spaced depending bulkheads at least one of which has an opening therein, said duct section comprising a hollow member which defines an air passageway and which is long enough to span at least approximately the space between adjacent bulkheads, sleeve means telescopically carried in at least one end of said hollow member and adapted to be received in said bulkhead openin for supporting the adjacent end portion of the hollow nember, means for supporting the opposite end portion of said hollow member adjacent another bulkhead, means accessible through a bottom opening in said member and operable to move said sleeve means between extended and retracted positions, said last-mentioned means comprising an actuating arm pivotally supported in the interior of said member and having a free end located adiacent said bottom opening, and linkage for moving said sleeve means in response to movement of said actuating arrn whereby said sleeve means can be telescopically extended out of the open end of said hollow member into said bulkhead opening, means defining an elongated air discharge outlet in said bottom opening, said outlet defining means including a pair of flanges projecting lateral-1y outwardly on opposite sides of said outlet below said bottom opening for supporting a false ceiling.

12. An extensible duct section as set forth in claim 11 wherein said linkage means comprises a first link connected at one end to said actuating arm intermediate the ends of the latter, and a span member connecting opposite sides of said sleeve and connected to the other end of said first link whereby movement of said actuating arm causes said sleeve to telescope into and out of said hollow member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,201,312 5/1940 Hauser 9840 X 2,956,150 10/1960 Schwartz et al. 984O X 3,088,392 5/1963 Egan 9840 FOREIGN PATENTS 794,723 5/ 1958 Great Britain.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN EXTENSIBLE DUCT SECTION FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CEILING HAVING SPACED DEPENDING BULKHEADS AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH HAS AN OPENING THEREIN, SAID DUCT COMPRISING A HOLLOW MEMBER WHICH DEFINES AN AIR PASSAGEWAY AND WHICH IS LONG ENOUGH TO AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY SPAN THE SPACE BETWEEN ADJACENT BULKHEADS, A SLEEVE TELESCOPICALLY CARRIED IN AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID HOLLOW MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID BULKHEAD OPENING FOR SUPPORTING THE ADJACENT END PORTION OF SAID HOLLOW MEMBER, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE END PORTION OF SAID HOLLOW MEMBER ADJACENT ANOTHER BULKHEAD, AND MEANS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH A SIDE OPENING IN SAID MEMBER AND OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID SLEEVE MEANS BETWEEN EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING AN ACTUATING ARM PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED IN THE INTERIOR OF SAID MEMBER AND HAVING A FREE END LOCATED ADJACENT SAID SIDE OPENING, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING LINKAGE FOR MOVING SAID SLEEVE IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM WHEREBY SAID SLEEVE CAN BE TELESCOPICALLY EXTENDED OUT OF THE OPEN END OF SAID HOLLOW MEMBER INTO SAID BULKHEAD OPENING. 